This year’s SIHH 2019 served as the aircraft carrier for IWC Schaffhausen to unveil a series of new pilot watch from diverse model lines. We covered several of these novelties in previous post and today we return to focus in on the limited “IWC Pilot’s Timezoner Spitfire ‘The Longest Flight’ Edition”.

Video courtesy of: IWC

One of the accomplishments of this new “The Longest Flight” model is offering a smaller option to the previous “IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph” (Ref#: IW395001), released back in 2016 which you can take a closer look at here. Although both these watches come in a 46mm case, the “The Longest Flight” has trimmed its height down to 15.2mm from the previous 16.8mm. It’s not a massive reduction, but it is a step in the right direction of what the market seems to be craving. Obviously achieving this goal will require IWC to develop new slimmed down in-house mechanical movements, which we hope to see in future editions.

The new “The Longest Flight” edition comes in the aforementioned 46mm case made of stainless steel with a screw-on case back. Mounted to the case is a black ceramic bezel engraved with different major cities and their distinct time-zones.

The “Timezoner” function for setting another time-zone is easily regulated via the bi-directional rotating bezel. But, despite its ease of use you this model does not allow to track two time zones at once. Switching between time-zones is easy, quick and efficient; but since the 24-hour aperture is synced to the current home-time we can only have one time-zone at a time.

Its screw-on stainless steel caseback features an engraving of the silver Spitfire aircraft, as well as technical details and the unique individual number for each of these limited edition pieces.

It also comes equipped with an onion-style screw-in crown that assists with water-resistance on this watch being able to reach up to 60 meters (196 feet). All topped by a sapphire convex crystal with an anti-reflective coating on both sides.

Time is exhibited on a matte black dial with large white Arabic numerals, except for the 12 o’clock position that features IWC’s iconic triangle with two dots marker with a faux-patina hue. Also circling around the inner-flange of the dial are thin white printed minute index markers, followed by slight thicker markings for every 5-minute increment and faux-patina colored markers for every 15-minute increment.

IWC has excluded the GMT hand on this model, but added a 24-hour altimeter-style aperture that functions as an AM/PM indicator, under the 12 o’clock position on the upper-half the dial. There is also a white date aperture at the 3 o’clock position, which is easily distinguishable from the second time-zone, thanks to their differentiating size. The central dagger-style hands have been filled with a patina colored luminescent coating, for an enhanced legibility.

IWC Pilot’s Timezoner Spitfire ‘The Longest Flight’ Edition

This “IWC Pilot’s Timezoner Spitfire ‘The Longest Flight’ Edition” (Ref#: IW395501) is powered by a self-winding mechanical movement, caliber 82760 with 22 jewels and 28,800 vph. It comes equipped with the patented Pellation winding mechanism, a central hacking seconds and decorated with a Cotes de Genève perlage. Power reserve on this watch can last up to 60 hours, when fully wound.

Mounted to the watch is a green textile strap with exposed matching stitches, while secured to the wrist by a stainless steel buckle. This is a limited edition of only 250 manufactures pieces. For more up to date information visit the official IWC Schaffhausen website here.

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